TOPIC: Joy in the Lord
TEXT: Acts 16:16-40(NKJV)
STUDY: The slave girl’s masters concealed from the magistrates the real complaint they had against Paul and Silas and lied against them.
Paul and Silas were severely beaten, thrown into prison and their legs fastened in the stocks. They were bloody, extremely exhausted, and in much pain. Notice how Paul and Silas reacted: They never complained or grumbled. Instead, they resisted the devil and stood firm in the faith, knowing that when they are wrongly treated, God would be glorified and others would be drawn to Jesus. They sang and praised the Lord, with prayers.
God responded and shook the ground with a great and violent earthquake which threw the prison doors open and set them loose from their bonds.
God’s sovereign plan for His children often includes pain and suffering. Whatever form it takes, we should not be surprised. We should instead pray that God would use the situation for His glory to further His purpose. Entrust your soul to your faithful Creator by doing what is right and keep your joy in the Lord uppermost.
God does not give Christians an exemption, even when they are doing His will and pursuing His kingdom and righteousness. Work on having joy in the Lord in every situation. Everything else flows from that.
PRAYER: Father, give me a cheerful and joyous spirit when being maltreated. Amen
DAILY QUOTE: “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’”– Billy Graham
Daily Fountain Devotional 18 July 2020 – The Church of Nigeria is the Anglican church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptized membership, after the Church of England. It gives its current membership as “over 18 million”, out of a total Nigerian population of over 200 million.